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The Indoor Versus The Outdoor Antenna

Click:259Date:2013-01-16Information Source:

Have you heard of the benefits of an antenna? With an antenna, you don't have to pay a monthly fee for service and equipment charges, and you get local HD channels for free. It is easy to see why more and more people are investing an antenna for their TV needs. One question remains, however: what kind and type of antenna should you buy?

An indoor antenna is usually very portable and compact so that it can sit on top of your entertainment or TV stand. They are best for short range reception and work optimally when the broadcast towers are nearby. A typicalindoor antennahas a range of up to 30 miles, but there are some models that can reach up to 50 miles away.

In comparison to the indoor antenna, you will notice that its outdoor counterpart is much larger. Because the outdoor antenna has a larger surface area, it picks up signals better with less interference and distortion. It will require some mounting work because it will need to be installed on your rooftop or on your wall.

In addition to indoor or outdoor, you will also come across the terms "uni-directional" or "directional" and "multi-" or "omni-directional". Uni-directional, or directional, means that the antenna is picking up the signal from one general direction. A uni-directional antenna will work best in a major city, such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, or New York, where all local stations are broadcast from one central tower. Because this type of antenna focuses in one direction only, it is resistant to distortion and noise and has a stronger range. In addition, a uni-directional antenna will also work if the broadcast towers are no more than 20 degrees from one another. Any more than 20 degrees will require a multi-directional antenna.

A multi-directional, or omni-directional, antenna means it can pick up signals from all directions and not in just one location. If your household is located in a rural area or located between two cities, your antenna can pick up signals from both locations, giving you more local channels to choose from.

The antenna you choose will depend on your location. There are some online resources that allow you to put in your address to get an antenna recommendation. Those can be reliable, but they are not always right. Doing proper research, speaking with an antenna-knowledgeable associate, and reading product reviews will greatly increase your chances of finding the perfect antenna for your home or business.